You Always Need To Pre-Sear Your Slow Cooker Chicken, Here's Why
The invention of the slow cooker undoubtedly changed the cooking game. Gone are the days of coming home after work and having to prepare an entire meal, whether for yourself or your family. This countertop contraption, which first hit the market back in 1971, now allows us to cook soups, dips, and full-fledged meals with just the touch of a button — a "set it and forget" concept.
Even something as complex as a multi-level chicken dinner can come together beautifully in a slow cooker. However, there are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind in order to get the most flavor out of your low-and-slow dish. Perhaps the biggest tip is to make sure to sear the chicken, even if it's just on one side, prior to cooking. That's because it helps to not only enhance the chicken's visual appeal with that golden color but also makes the meat more flavorful, which won't happen if you just toss it in the Crock-Pot.
Pre-sear your chicken for better color and flavor
Of course, the concept of slow-cooking a meal is meant to keep things as easy as possible. In that case, if you're short on time, or you want to pop the chicken in the slow cooker before work and can't even fathom the thought of getting out the pots and pans, it's perfectly safe to let the slow cooker do the whole job.
However, if you have a couple minutes of extra time, definitely sear your meat. Have you ever taken a bite of seared chicken and immediately noticed that rich, pan-fried flavor that comes from the perfectly-cooked crust on the outside? That crust doesn't exist in a slow cooker; the time and temperature don't allow for it, so while the chicken will still taste fine, it won't taste as delicious as it could. Plus, chicken is easier on the eyes when it has that crispy sear, so if you're someone whose phone eats first, it wouldn't hurt to take that extra searing step. To do so, just heat a bit of oil in a pan on medium heat, let it get hot, then add the chicken to the pan, crisping it up for just a minute or two on both sides.
Can you slow-cook chicken from frozen?
The slow cooker works wonders, but there is one golden rule you absolutely must follow: do not cook raw meat from frozen. While it might seem like a time-saver to pull chicken directly from the freezer and pop it into the Crock-Pot, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that slow cookers only cook meals at temperatures between 170 and 280 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is high enough to keep thawed food out of the temperature danger zone, but the low temperature means that frozen food doesn't escape that zone quickly enough.
As a result, frozen food has a chance to grow substantial bacteria because its overall temperature doesn't heat quickly enough to prevent that bacteria growth; it's a mistake you'll want to avoid. The concept is similar to the idea that perishable food should not be kept at room temperature for more than two hours. To properly thaw frozen meat, take it out of the freezer and let it defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours before popping it into the slow cooker.